Why Get Vaccinated

Anthrax has long been identified as a likely weapon of mass destruction for terrorists due to these characteristics:

• Highly lethal bioterrorism agent
• Relatively easy to produce in large quantities
• Ability to be weaponized
• Easily spread through the air over a large area
• Ability to withstand extreme environmental conditions

Anthrax has also been identified as a Category A agent by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)¹.

It has also been predicted that an aerial release of anthrax spores along a 100 km line under ideal meteorologic conditions could result in lethality rate of 50% as far as 160 km downwind².

U.S. and international security agencies believe that several countries and terrorist groups currently have or are developing an offensive biological warfare capability using anthrax. The threat can come from anywhere, affecting people anywhere in the world who will likely have little or no warning before an attack.

For these reasons, solid preventative protection is warranted for those at high risk of exposure to anthrax. To date, more than 8.4 million doses of BioThrax^® (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed)have been administered to more than 2.1 million individuals.

The best way to protect against infectious diseases is to get vaccinated before exposure. A vaccine is currently available for pre-exposure protection against anthrax. It is called BioThrax^® (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed) .

BioThrax may not protect all individuals vaccinated, particularly patients with impaired immune responses due to congenital or acquired immunodeficiency, or immunosuppressive therapy. Individuals are not considered protected until they have completed the full vaccination series.

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